Take Up Spool for Modern Tounges/Kiev 4a

arbib

arbib

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I just recieved my first FSU RF. A Kiev 4a. After going though the basic inspections, I went to load roll of Delta 400. Now I was surprised (un-knowldgible) of the "Centered-Slot" for the film leader.

I had to cut off the "Modern Leader" tongue and trim a centered leader to Feed through the Kiev Take up spool. Pain in the A** !!

Is there a More Modern Spool configuration for the leaders of todays films ??

OR: Do I need a Film Leader "Template" to "Recut" the Film leader on todays films ??

If anyone has some Links to buy a newer Take Up Spools, OR: A film leader cutter that would have a "Centered" tobgue instead of an OffSet Tongue, I would be forever tankfull.

PS: FWIW: I do have a Pre-War Contax III with a take up spool that has a small piece of medal that you slip the film leader under. BUT I have already loaded the Kiev, So I don't know if it will fit yet.

Will It Fit ??? The Kiev 4a is the same body as a Pre-War Contax II. It should fit, right.
 
I just re-cut my leaders. I bulk roll film so I have to cut leaders for leica and contax, no point cutting one or the other until just before the film goes in the camera. I may use the metal kiev spool in the Contax though, as it uses the modern lower clip, where the bakelite contax spool requires a central leader
 
Ash said:
I just re-cut my leaders. I bulk roll film so I have to cut leaders for leica and contax, no point cutting one or the other until just before the film goes in the camera. I may use the metal kiev spool in the Contax though, as it uses the modern lower clip, where the bakelite contax spool requires a central leader
Click to expand...


Great, The Contax has the Modern Lower Film Clip you mention. I will swap them out on the next reload.

Is there a supplier for the Modern Lower Clip Take Up Spool??

Thanks Ash.
 
I'd check ebay, that's the only place I can think of, unless the CRR-Luton replacement Leica spools can fit?
 
Ash/Arbib

The centre slot spools are normally removed from broken reloadable cassettes, or by people whio are stuck.

The simplest solution is to recycle a plastic spool from a store bought cassette, with a broken hack saw (metal saw) blade cut a slot all the way through from mid section to bottom of the film area so that a standard leader will fit. You dont need a hook. Some of the origional Kiev take up spools do not have anything other then a narrow 3/4 length cut for the standard leader, some had a hook. Friction works well in a narrow slot. There are instruction for this on a previous post, it details the curved slot variation, which may be faster handling, or to your preference.

The CRR spools will only do for LTM Leicas and some Zorkis and Feds they don't have the slots for the kiev forks, I dont think they will fit M Leicas either, CRR may do M leica spools though as well.

Some of the E-Bay FSU specialists do 2nd hand take up spools for Kievs (with Kiev on them!) as well as the custom concentric reloadable cassettes, you need to check that the spool is a take up spool rather then a cassette spool, to avoid having to cut leaders. But the home made plastic ones are as good as the similar narrow slot Kiev ones.

Noel
 
i've done what Noel has suggested which works great. however, i tend to use the salvaged metal 'donut' from the film cannister and superglue it onto the bottom of the spool so as to give it a better fit ...less struggle getting the cameraback onto the camera body with film loading.

otherwise you can look at this link for a fancier version. http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/kievspool.jpg
 
Xmas said:
Ash/Arbib

The centre slot spools are normally removed from broken reloadable cassettes, or by people whio are stuck.

The simplest solution is to recycle a plastic spool from a store bought cassette, with a broken hack saw (metal saw) blade cut a slot all the way through from mid section to bottom of the film area so that a standard leader will fit. You dont need a hook. Some of the origional Kiev take up spools do not have anything other then a narrow 3/4 length cut for the standard leader, some had a hook. Friction works well in a narrow slot. There are instruction for this on a previous post, it details the curved slot variation, which may be faster handling, or to your preference.

The CRR spools will only do for LTM Leicas and some Zorkis and Feds they don't have the slots for the kiev forks, I dont think they will fit M Leicas either, CRR may do M leica spools though as well.

Some of the E-Bay FSU specialists do 2nd hand take up spools for Kievs (with Kiev on them!) as well as the custom concentric reloadable cassettes, you need to check that the spool is a take up spool rather then a cassette spool, to avoid having to cut leaders. But the home made plastic ones are as good as the similar narrow slot Kiev ones.

Noel
Click to expand...

I looked at a spool from a waisted Roll of Delta 100, It looked idenical to the one in the camera.

I am sure the Contax Spool will work. It has a small clip on it only.

Thanks for the Tip on remanufacturing a current spool if needed.
 
ARBIB,

When I had a Keiv, she came without a take up spool, so I made a few. I used plumbers expoxy to strengthen the inner core of the spool. This was after I used a metal saw blade to slice a space for the tounge.

You're right, the center load is a pain, but a small set of sissors that fit in the bottom of the bag fixed it well.

I decided to give up on Kievs and went Nikon (and have never looked back).

B2 (;->
 
arbib said:
I looked at a spool from a waisted Roll of Delta 100, It looked idenical to the one in the camera.

I am sure the Contax Spool will work. It has a small clip on it only.

Thanks for the Tip on remanufacturing a current spool if needed.
Click to expand...


The Contax Take up spool is PERFECT FIT :D

I need one more to put back in the Contax III now.... :cool:

Any Suppliers of Origial Contax Spools with the Clp out there ?? ..............
 
The double-cyllinder cassete for postwar Contaxes has a spool that takes modern leader IIRC.
 
My Kiev 4a came with a metal take up spool that has a springy clip and what I do is to simply cut into the film at the end and just deep enough to get the leader into the clip. I have also torn the film in the same spot(the rare times when I don't have a pocket knife with me.). Not elegant but it works.
When I had a bottom loading Canon, I got a tiny, cheap multi-tool so I could have scissors on my keychain--that was about three bucks US, probably less expensive than a replacement spool, and I found it in the tool aisle of my local grocery store.
Rob
edit: "IIRC" is "If I Recall Correctly"
 
The standard Kiev spools (or Contax II or IIa etc.) do not need any cutting of a normal leader, one either clips a sprocket hole over a tooth or pushes the leader into a slot.

They are obtianable from e-bay, cannot look myself, GAS, or a near clone by employing a hack saw, fine toothed metal saw on a normal film spool from a cassette, a mini lab will have sacks full for free.

The pukka articles have a smaller hole for the Kiev baseplate pin, but the bodge seems to work for lots of people.

Noel

P.S. (edit) Varjag memory is correct some of the Zeiss late (post WWII) concentric inner spools did come with tooth for standard leader, but it is iffy to scrap a cassette given Kiev origionals are available 2nd hand why go for a copy?
 
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what I do for my Kiev center-slot spool is fold the end of the film leader, as if you are making a paper airplane. Two folds give me a perfect 90 degree point on the end, which slots perfectly into the spring clip once I tear off the leader at the creases, and only takes seconds.

Folding and creasing the fold makes it cake to tear off in a straight line. No scissors required, I know the film is centered on the spindle, and I can cut the leaders ahead of time for whatever other camera I might be using and just trim for the Kiev as needed. Yes, it would be nice if I had a standard lower slot for the Kiev, but my Canonet can use film cut straight across, so after bulk rolling, I only need to trim leaders ahead of time for my SLR, which I seldom take out with me these days. Not having to trim leaders ahead of time means less hassle for the Canonet and Kiev compared to the Minolta SLR. If I didn't use a Canonet regularly, I'd probably still not find the center slot on the Kiev a pain compared to fitting the back on, or threading a leader on an old Pentax K1000 :)
 
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